France to lift ban on gay men donating blood

France will lift a ban on gay men donating blood, introduced in the 1980s to prevent the spread of AIDS but heavily criticised by rights groups, the health minister said on Wednesday (Nov 4).

“Giving blood is an act of generosity, of civic responsibility, and the donor’s sexual orientation cannot be a condition,” Marisol Touraine announced in Paris. “While respecting patient safety, today we are lifting a taboo,” she said. Touraine said the lifting of the ban, promised by Francois Hollande in his presidential campaign, will happen piecemeal, starting next year. Read more